My Emergent Media Reporting students are studying journalism and social media this week. To give them an example of how Twitter can be a place for a open public conversation, as well as to demonstrate the concept of mentions and hashtags to Twitter newbies, I posted a tweet during class that sparked the following discussion among several of my journalist friends and one of my students:
Hey @JulieWeisberg what should my #com352 students learn about social media and journalism?
— Peter Huoppi (@phuoppi) November 2, 2015
Hmmm… well, social platforms are quickly becoming the main channels audiences use to "consume" our content… https://t.co/4ZdZRn7LEk
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 2, 2015
@phuoppi so, that means you need to find out where your target user groups are, share & engage there; it's about putting the user first…
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 2, 2015
@phuoppi it's no longer about the reader/user coming to our website, but reaching out to them on the platforms *they* prefer to consume news
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 2, 2015
@phuoppi we need to understand that social platforms are now publishing platforms for news, right alongside websites and print
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 2, 2015
@phuoppi and because of this social platform shift, #journos are now expected to directly engage with readers/users; 4th wall has come down
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 2, 2015
@phuoppi … so much more to say!! Oh my gosh!! But: social platform = publishing platform <— that, I think, is most important
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 2, 2015
@phuoppi and thank you for the question! I'm sure you'll all have a great discussion on this topic!
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 2, 2015
@JulieWeisberg @phuoppi Social media is becoming the new way for journalists to get their stories and ideas seen and talked about
— Casey Gagnon (@caseygagnonn) November 2, 2015
@JulieWeisberg @phuoppi It is very easy for people to find stories via social media sites because all they need to do is look up keywords
— Casey Gagnon (@caseygagnonn) November 2, 2015
@JulieWeisberg @phuoppi and then they find the story and then hundreds of different opinions based on that one story.
— Casey Gagnon (@caseygagnonn) November 2, 2015
@phuoppi @JulieWeisberg I don't think so because if they want to know more about the story they'll go read it once it's actually published
— Casey Gagnon (@caseygagnonn) November 2, 2015
@caseygagnonn @phuoppi Exactly! It's like an appetizer (social brief/promo) before the main course (full news story)
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 2, 2015
@JulieWeisberg @phuoppi exactly and with thanksgiving coming who doesn't love a little appetizer?
— Casey Gagnon (@caseygagnonn) November 2, 2015
@phuoppi not surprised about Twitter at all. It's the next #myspace
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 2, 2015
@phuoppi @JulieWeisberg @carlosrvirgen my 1st advice is get a goddam Twitter
— Elissa Bass (@ElissaBass) November 2, 2015
First step: Use a Twitter interface like Tweetdeck or Hootsuite so that you have more control over streams you see. https://t.co/VWoi0GPHgS
— Carlos Virgen (@carlosrvirgen) November 2, 2015
@ElissaBass @phuoppi @carlosrvirgen But see. That's the thing: they're not on Twitter because it's waning as a relevant social platform
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 2, 2015
Still viable as news gathering tool & way to get content quickly to readers, even those not on Twitter @JulieWeisberg @ElissaBass @phuoppi
— Carlos Virgen (@carlosrvirgen) November 2, 2015
@carlosrvirgen @ElissaBass @phuoppi it's become a platform for journos/media/marketers to talk to one another. But our audience = #NotHere
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 3, 2015
Again, Twitter still viable tool to cover news quickly. And to build an audience, albeit very niche @JulieWeisberg @ElissaBass @phuoppi
— Carlos Virgen (@carlosrvirgen) November 3, 2015
@phuoppi Don't put all the social media eggs into the Twitter basket! Twitter has not yet reached profitability and has had layoffs.
— Yawgoog Trails (@YawgoogTrails) November 3, 2015
Find out where folks you are trying to reach are. Most likely they are spread across networks. And engage. https://t.co/XXLdXGMFC0
— Carlos Virgen (@carlosrvirgen) November 3, 2015
Engage, have converstaions. Dont just ask for content or for info. Share, and not just your own content. @phuoppi @JulieWeisberg @ElissaBass
— Carlos Virgen (@carlosrvirgen) November 3, 2015
@phuoppi @carlosrvirgen @ElissaBass Again: what are your target audiences? And what social platforms do they swim in? Share, engage there
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 3, 2015
@phuoppi @carlosrvirgen @ElissaBass We need to speak our users' native social languages. Not require them to use/learn ours #userexperience
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 3, 2015
@JulieWeisberg @phuoppi @ElissaBass What are you trying to acheive? Input on an evolving story? Looking for UGC? Looking for eye witnesses?
— Carlos Virgen (@carlosrvirgen) November 3, 2015
@carlosrvirgen @phuoppi @ElissaBass Exactly! Also always need to think of the future user: how can we reach them now? Develop relationship?
— Julie Weisberg (@JulieWeisberg) November 3, 2015
@JulieWeisberg @phuoppi @ElissaBass Input/feedback on story: FB. UGC: FB, Twitter, Instagram. Eyewitness: Twitter, Periscope, Facebook…
— Carlos Virgen (@carlosrvirgen) November 3, 2015
@JulieWeisberg @phuoppi @ElissaBass And don't forget good 'ol email, submission forms, most importantly: IRL. Walk over to the coffee shop
— Carlos Virgen (@carlosrvirgen) November 3, 2015
@carlosrvirgen @JulieWeisberg @phuoppi AGREE
— Elissa Bass (@ElissaBass) November 3, 2015
@carlosrvirgen @JulieWeisberg @phuoppi DOUBLE AGREE. Don't stick your phone in person's face and hit 'record.'
— Elissa Bass (@ElissaBass) November 3, 2015
Peter Huoppi - Multimedia Journalist 